AS/A2 Sociology

At a basic level, Sociology is the study of the society around us and our place in it. Whilst everyday life may appear to be random and hectic, behind this it is possible to identify patterns of behaviour. Studying Sociology will make you more aware of the society you exist within and enable you to gain a valuable insight into human social behaviour.

You will study a wide range of interesting and exciting sociology topics over the two years, such as the roles of family, education and health, looking at issues such as teenage pregnancy, the arguments for and against comprehensive schools over independent education and investigate the social construction of mental illness and disability along with looking at patterns of ill-health in society.

You will also look at social inequality – this will involve discussions about inequality in our society in terms of gender, age, class and ethnicity, and the effect of the mass media and issues surrounding crime and deviance.

Sociologists would claim that society is the single most important influence in your life, and most would argue that our behaviour can be largely explained by our place in society.

Why choose Sociology?

An A Level in Sociology is a start towards a career in areas such as Teaching, Nursing, Social Work, Business, the Legal Profession and the Armed Forces; in fact any profession where you have to deal with people and consider their backgrounds. Sociology combines well with many subjects such as Psychology, English, Media Studies, Law, Politics, History, Languages and Art and offers excellent progression to university.

AS/A2 Psychology

Psychology is the ‘science of the brain and behaviour’ so you’ll find out why people behave in different ways and how the brain works. What’s more, you’ll look at everything from eyewitness testimony to eating disorders, stress and aggression.

If you are interested in the way human beings think, feel and behave, then this subject will be of interest to you. You will cover a broad range of fascinating topics including Cognitive processes of memory, perception and language in humans, development of intelligence focusing on learning in children, physiological psychology - examining human sleep patterns, dreaming and states of consciousness, social influences in relation to obedience, group conformity, prejudice and helping behaviour, individual differences in relation to personality traits, intelligence and aspects of abnormal behaviour.

You should have an interest in conducting practical investigations because Psychology uses the scientific method of careful research, experimentation and statistical analysis and requires students to learn to be numerate, to use logical reasoning and to express themselves clearly and concisely in writing.

Why choose Psychology?

Once you have started to study Psychology, it is hard to give up! A high proportion of Psychology students will go on to study Psychology or a related degree at university. Many others will go on to work in fields of employment where Psychology studies are an advantage – Teaching, Nursing, Physiotherapy or Social Work, for example. Psychology can lead to some very exciting careers.